Beyond Enrollment: Addressing the Gender Gap in Scholarship Seekers

The gender imbalance in higher education has been widely reported. A 2024 report from the National Center for Education Statistics found that 57% of undergraduates are female while only 43% are male. However, an analysis of Scholarships360’s member base revealed this imbalance is even more pronounced among students actively seeking scholarships. Of the more than 1.3 million students on our platform, 69% are female and only 28% are male.

This disparity has significant implications for scholarship providers; without intentional strategies to engage male applicants, most scholarships will reach more than twice as many females as males.

This paper highlights disparities in applicant behavior and scholarship availability across genders. The findings reveal that socioeconomic status compounds gender gaps and that existing scholarship offerings further tilt the balance toward female students. We conclude with recommendations for how providers can design outreach and awards to build a more equitable applicant pool.

Socioeconomics and the Scholarship Seeking Gender Gap

Over 1.3M students have registered with Scholarships360 since we launched our platform in 2021. 69% of these members are female and 28% are male. This disparity is significantly higher than the national higher education enrollment gap (57% vs. 43%).

The divide was even more pronounced among students who identified as low-income, first-generation, or rural. Of the members who identified as one or more of these categories, only 26% were male compared with 72% female.

The data indicates that gender imbalance widens as income decreases. Students actively seeking scholarships are more likely to have financial need, yet low-income male students are significantly less likely to pursue these opportunities. This lack of engagement likely reduces their ability to afford college altogether.

Sources: Scholarships360 Database and 2024 NCES Digest of Education Statistics
NOTE: NCES Digest of Education Statistics does not include “Other” as an option for Gender.

Female members on our platform also have higher levels of activity than male members. Our scholarship platform allows members to ‘save’ scholarships to their account. 80% of total ‘saves’ from January 2024 – September 2025 were from female accounts.

Not only do male members sign up at lower rates than female members—they also engage less with our platform. One possible cause is the skew of gender-designated scholarships.

Gender-Designated Scholarships Favor Female Applicants

Scholarships360’s 5,200-scholarship database includes eight times as many female-designated scholarships as male-designated scholarships. Female students are currently overrepresented in both higher education and scholarship seekers, yet funding opportunities continue to disproportionately target female applicants.

Investigating Male-Skewed Scholarships

Some scholarships on our platform attract a disproportionately high number of male applicants. Of the top ten male-skewed scholarships, seven were in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The second-most skewed scholarship was the Minecraft Scholarship, which asks applicants to write an essay about video games.

Scholarships in the trades were also popular among male members; Despite only making up 1.3% of our total scholarship database, trades scholarships comprised three of the top ten male-skewed scholarships by engagement level.

These findings suggest that content-specific outreach can bridge the gap between male and female scholarship applications.

Recommendations: How to Design Male-Centric Scholarship Outreach

To engage male students and build a more balanced applicant pool, scholarship providers should consider the following:

1. Create Gender-Dedicated Competitions: Instead of offering one scholarship award, providers can offer parallel awards for male and female applicants, ensuring equal opportunity and visibility.
2. Advertise in Male-Leaning Spaces: Target outreach through platforms and communities where male students are active, such as gaming networks, STEM forums, and athletic groups.
3. Offer Scholarships in Male-Leaning Fields: Offer scholarships in male-skewed fields to attract more male applicants. These scholarships can be in a field of study such as STEM or the trades, or cater to an interest such as athletics or video games.
4. Target Male Applicants in Rural Areas: Partner and co-market scholarships with organizations that have high rural, low-income, and first-generation membership, such as 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs, and YMCAs in rural areas to reach underserved male applicants.

Conclusion

Because lower-income students are more likely to rely on scholarships to make college feasible, the gender gap in scholarship seekers exacerbates the broader higher education gender gap as income decreases.

For scholarship providers, the implications are clear. Without strategies to intentionally engage male students, this imbalance will persist. Providers who adapt to attract more male applicants can broaden opportunity and strengthen the long-term impact of their programs.